Crowdfunding market will be learning process: study

SterlingFunder, the nation’s first crowdfunding for both accredited and non-accredited investors, has received national accreditation from Crowdsourcing.org, a neutral organization dedicated solely to crowdsourcing and crowdfunding. Accredition is through Crowdsourcing.org’s Crowdfunding Accreditation for Platform Standards (“CAPS”) program. The CAPS program is an initiative by Crowdsourcing.org to promote the adoption of best practices for the operation of crowdfunding platforms globally.

Designed to protect both crowdfunders (people pledging or investing capital) and fundraisers (companies raising capital), the CAPS program's mission is to foster sustainable growth of the crowdfunding industry.

Accreditation is awarded based on passing specific qualification criteria in four key categories:

Operational Transparency

Security of Information and Payments

Platform Functionality

Operational Procedures

“We are proud to have platforms like SterlingFunder enrolled in the accreditation program, Crowdfunding Accreditation for Platform Standards (CAPS), and as the director of that program I am confident that SterlingFunder will provide a much needed ease of access to capital and investment opportunities for Georgia's entrepreneurs and investors, respectively," said Kevin Berg Kartaszewicz-Grell, CAPS Program Director."

SterlingFunder is the first crowdfunding platform in the U.S. to operate under the Invest Georgia Exemption, which was put in place in 2012. With a team of experts from the securities industry as well as from online businesses, SterlingFunder has a transparent, secure, and highly functional platform that is in the best interest of both entrepreneurs (campaign owners) and investors (crowdfunders).”

SterlingFunder is also a member of the Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA) and Crowdfunding Intermediary Regulatory Advocates (CFIRA), two membership organizations working with regulation, reporting and compliance oversight of the crowdfunding industry.

SterlingFunder is currently the only equity and debt crowdfunding platform in the nation for both accredited and non-accredited investors, through the Invest Georgia Exemption. The portal at http://www.sterlingfunder.com offers investors and entrepreneurs an innovative and feature-rich site for education and engagement in crowdfunding with the highest level of security and protection.

“SterlingFunder is very pleased to have met the rigorous standards put in place by the Crowdfunding Accreditation for Platform Standards, said David Lilenfeld, president and co-founder of SterlingFunder. “In addition to providing a platform where entrepreneurs and investors can come together to fund new business opportunities, we are committed to meeting and exceeding industry standards in all areas. Our goal is to ensure that equity crowdfunding is fully realized with integrity and transparency.”